I compliment a fairly new WSer on his progress and try to encourage people to use the available cues to help them rig to plane, and you want to blow your nose in the punchbowl? What in hell's wrong with you?

Do you recommend rigging for planing only in the very peak gusts, or not at all in many cases? If not, then why are you implying to everyone that's the right way to rig? On MANY occasions I've watched a dozen people slog continually for 20 minutes because one guy shouted, "It's 4.2!" when in fact it's a marginal 6.2. You apparently have no concept whatsoever of the stoke I get from getting lucky enough some days to pick the perfect sail and board the first time, and for some inexplicable reason think I shouldn't try to help and encourage others to do the same.

I don't mind your having blown off the lengthy advice you requested from me via PM, because board choices are very personal. I wouldn't mind if you offered and supported rigging advice contrary to mine. But to just stick a finger in one nostril and blow snot at me for trying to help readers at large? That's sick, man. Get a handkerchief, learn to rig properly so you know what I'm talking about, and stop trying to undermine information and stoke that may benefit others.

Iso has the experience to handle the big sail. Newer sailors, should try using a larger board and not a bigger sail.

I agree, but many of the people I'm talking about have been regular Gorge sailors for a decade or two. Some are just not used to reading the wind at sites they're not used to; I have no idea why other competent sailors are willing to rig so small they can't plane, or can plane only half the time on a reasonably steady day. And on bigger days, bigger boards beat the crap out of people. 140L of flat bottom is just too damned big on a 4.0 day with chest-high chopswell for a guy who has been sailing the Gorge for a decade and still can't jibe at all.

And how does rigging too small to plane even on 125 liters going to help an advanced sailor (one who planes through most of his jibes when rigged big enough to plane) on 90L or the intermediate who wants to plane through more jibes? What I'm talking about is good, experienced Gorge sailors who have a ball in solid 30 mph winds but try to force fit the same gear into 18 mph despite almost never planing.

Besides, guess how and when I got that experience:
How? By trying.
When? On the first day I ever saw a windsurfer.
Why? 'Cause it was all I had.
How often? Every damned chance I got, because slogging sucks and planing rocks.
Result? Enjoying the hell out of days many fine sailors say are too holey and many other fine days most people regard as too windy to sail.

And who on earth would say that a 6.2 is a "big sail" for a seasoned Gorge sailor @ a weak 20 mph (again, maybe 17-18 on the Swell City sensor)? [/i]

I think a lot of people dont factor in weight enough when judging other peoples sail size. 20 mph is a 6.8 for me and I get plenty of strange looks from guys that weigh 40lbs less than me, but I dont feel overpowered in those conditions and with sail fully sheeted in (now, Ive been working on that for whoever pointed it out in the video ) and have lots of fun. Nothing wrong if you like smaller sails, but for me a bit too big=fun, a bit too small=frustration. The skill to use oversized sails takes a few weeks on the water, the skill to use undersize sails takes years.

You need a sail big enough to be powered up ALL the time but I'm not going to waste the energy hanging on to a bigger sail just to ride a small board. All my boards handle the same so I just chose the one for the sail I'm on.

[quote="mchaco1"The skill to use oversized sails takes a few weeks on the water, the skill to use undersize sails takes years.[/quote]

Takes less skill if you have one of these. Invaluable with my Naish sails that have "luff curve shaping". Useful, though not as much so, with "seam shaping" design of my Ezzy Panthers. In any case, more time on the water and less time coming in to futz around Gets you back to the launch when the wind drops too, before the bottom drops out.

At an average windspeed of 20, I (150lbs.) can be comfortable on a 6.6 down to 4.5, depending on water state, what I'm doing, and peak gusts.
I've been fine on a 7.0 when the 220lbs guys are coming in to change to smaller sails.
OTOH, I've sailed 4.5's when the racers were underpowered on 7.6's with slalom boards.

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